Adjustable partitions for receptacle



Nov. 24, 1959 v. E. DEINLEIN ETAL 2,914,211

ADJUSTABLE PARTITIONS FOR RECEPTACLE Filed May 16, 1958 INVENTORS VacToR EDWARD DEINLEIN THOMAS B. TISDALE ylaw/2 o wrwwii ATTY5.

ADJUSTABLE PARTITIONS FOR RECEPTACLE Victor Edward Deinlein, Charlottesville, and Thomas B.

Tisdale, Orange, Va., assignors to Acme Visible Records, Inc., Crozet, Va., a corporation of Delaware Application May 16, 1958, Serial No. 735,729 6 Claims. Cl. 220-42 This invention relates to improvements in an-adjustably moveable partition for card files or the like and refers particularly to a partition which at its endsmay be adjustably secured or locked upon the opposite walls of'a card file receptacle. 7

One of the objects of the present invention resides in partitions adaptable for use in a card file receptacle such as a tub type, drawer type, rotary type card file receptacle or the like wherein said partitions may be' positively locked in desired positions in the receptacle with respect to each other. Thus, a card file whose partitions are spaced" from each othera predetermined distance to accommodate cards of predetermined width may be readily respaced different distances from each other to accommodate cards of different widths.

Anotherfeature of the invention resides in a receptacle wall-partition construction which is extremely sturdy and'rugged', a construction wherein the partition" position can be quickly and conveniently changed and 'a construction wherein the partitions can be firmly secured in desired positions with respect to the receptacle walls.

A further feature of the device resides in a partition construction wherein the partitions, in addition to being readily movable at will, may be added or removed from the tile receptacle with the greatest convenience.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detailed description.

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of a tub type card'receptacle having a partition construction embodying the concepts of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on' line 22 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the partition end portions.

'Refcrring in detail to the drawings, 1 indicates a tub type card file receptacle with which the present invention may be used. The receptacle 1 comprises longitudinal and transverse frame members 2 and 3,'respectively, which are supported by corner legs 4, the legs being braced by braces 5 and 6. A receptacle 7 is mounted upon the frame members 2 and 3 and comprises a bottom (not shown) and opposite side and end walls 8 and 9, respectively. A plurality of partitions 10 are positioned in the receptacle so spaced from each other as 'to provide card channels 11 between adjacent partitions to receive file cards 12. To facilitate visual inspection of the cards the opposite side walls 8 are preferably inclined outward and upwardly from the side frame members 2.

The tub type card file receptacle per se does not constitute the present invention, but is merely illustrated and described to exemplify one type of receptacle with which the invention may be used. The invention may also be used with conventional drawer files, rotary files or the like, or may be used for purposes other than to define card channels, such as, to define spaces in tool drawers, small parts cabinets and the like.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the relationship of the side walls 8 of the receptacle 1 and the end portions of the partitions 10. As shown best in Fig.2, the side walls 8 are of hollow construction and comprisean outer wall panel 13 and an inner wall 2,914,211 Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ice 2 panel 14. The wall 8 is preferably constructed of sheet metal in which case the inner and outer panels 14 and 13, respectively, may be of integral construction, and may be joined by the curved portion 15. To reinforce the hollow wall 8, a web 16' bridges the spaced panels 13 and 14 and may be secured to the inner surfaces of said panels.

To accommodate the opposite walls 8 to the partition securing means, to be hereinafter more fully described, a longitudinal opening 16 is provided in the wall, said opening being longitudinally defined by spaced edges 17 of the inner panel 14. The opening 16 is substantially coextensive in length with the length of the inner panel 14, and the edge portions of the inner panel 14 providing the spaced edges 17 may be folded upon themselves, as shown best at 18 in Fig. 2. Thus, said edge'portions are reinforced and smooth, rounded edges 17 are provided.

the inner and outer panels, the web of the channel being.

secured to the inner surface of the outer panel 13 opposite' the opening. The opposite flanges of the channel 19 bridge the inner and outer panels and the edge portions of said flanges. are joined to the inner face of the inner panel 14. The channel 19 is substantially coextensive in length with the length of the opening 16.

Thus, the inner panel 14 of the wall 8, adjacent the opening 16, is rendered extremely rigid, and inasmuch as the end portions of the partitions 10are secured to the portions of the inner panel adjacent said opening, as will be hereinafter more fully described, the partitions, when secured to the opposite walls, are secured to a firm, rigid support.

The partitions 10 are also preferably constructed of sheet metal and are of generally rectangular shape. However, the end edges 20 are inclined to conform with the inclination ofthe side walls 8, where said latter walls are inclined. Tongues 21 are formed integral with the partition 10 and one tongue extends outwardly from each end edge of each partition. Each tongue 21 is formed with a portion 22 disposed coplanar with the partition, and a portion 23 disposed at right-angles to the plane of the partition.

The partition 10 may be formed of double thickness, that is, it may be folded upon itself along its top longitudinal edge 24, in which case the tongue 21 will be of double thickness, or, if desired, the partition 10 may be of single thickness, but the tongue may be of double the length of the tongue 21 and may be folded upon itself to form a tongue of double thickness. In either case the tongue will be of double thickness which is of structural advantage, as will be hereinafter apparent.

A keeper 25 is associated with each tongue 21, each keeper comprising a strong metal bar having its opposite end portions 26 disposed at right-angles to the length of the bar proper. The straight portion of each keeper is provided with spaced apertures 27 which may be threaded for the reception of screws 28. The portion 23 of each tongue is also provided with spaced apertures through which the screws 28 may freely extend.

To secure the end of a partition 10 to a wall 8, one screw 28 may engage the portion 23 of a tongue to the keeper 25. The keeper is thus rotatable with respect to 7 the tongue and the tongue and keeper may be readily of the portions 26 of the keeper may be brought to abutting relationship with the inner face of the panel 14, as shown best in Fig. 2.

As a feature of the invention, the length of the keeper portions 26 are greater than the outward extent of the tongue portions 22 and, hence, by tightening the screws 28, the edge 20 of the partition bears upon the outer face of inner panel 14 under a pressure established by the tension of screws upon the keeper. That is, the screws, through the agency of the keeper and tongue clamp the partition in desired position along the length of opening 16.

As an alternate way of fastening the partition, the keeper 25 may be loosely fastened to the tongue 21 by both the screws 28; the entire partition may be canted until the tongue and keeper can be inserted in the opening 16. The partition may then be moved to upright position bringing the keeper into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the screws may then be tightened.

To remove the partition, the reverse operation may be performed, or if the partition is to be moved laterally in one direction or the other to increase or decrease the width of a channel 11, it is merely necessary to loosen the screws 28; slide the partition laterally to a new desired position and thereafter tighten the screws.

Of course, if the walls 8 of the receptacle are disposed vertically or at any other angle of inclination, the edges 20 of the partition will be made to conform thereto.

However, the structure otherwise remains the same.

These and other modifications of the invention, which do not depart from the fundamental concepts of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, hence, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the exact details shown and described, except as necessitated by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device for partitioning the space between opposite supporting walls, comprising a pair of laterally spaced supporting walls, each of said walls being provided with an opening which confronts the opening in the opposite Wall, a partition having opposite end edges, said partition extending between said oppositewalls, a tongue carried at each opposite end edge of said partition which extends outwardly from said end edge into each opening to bring the opposite end edges into contact with the confronting faces of said walls, a substantially U shaped keeper positioned adjacent the opposite faces of each wall, removable fastening means carried by each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the wall adjacent each opening'between the U-shaped arms of each keeper and each end edge of the partition.

2. A device for partitioning the space between opposite supporting walls, comprising a pair of laterally spaced supporting walls, each of said walls being provided with an opening which confronts the opening in the opposite wall, a partition having opposite end edges, said partition extending between said opposite walls, a tongue carried at each opposite end edge of said partition which extends outwardly from said end edge into each opening to bring the opposite end edges into contact with the confronting faces of said walls, each tongue having a portion coplanar with the partition and a portion at right-angles to said partition, a substantially U-shaped keeper positioned adjacent the opposite faces of each wall, removable fastening means carried by the right angle portion of each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the wall adjacent each opening between the U-shaped arms of each keeper and each end edge of the partition.

3. A receptacle having opposite walls, each of said walls being provided with an opening which confronts the opening in, the opposite wall, a partition having opposite end edges, said partition extending between said opposite walls, a tongue carried at each opposite end edge of said partition which extends outwardly from said end edge into each opening to bring the opposite end edges into contact with the confronting faces of said walls, a substantially U-shaped keeper positioned adjacent the opposite faces of each wall, removable fastening means carried by each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the wall adjacent each opening between the U- shaped arms of each keeper and each end edge of the partition.

4. A receptacle having opposite side walls and opposite end walls, each of said side walls being provided with an elongated opening which confronts the similar opening in the opposite side Wall, a plurality of partitions for said receptacle, each partition having opposite end edges, said partitions extending in spaced relation between said opposite side walls, a tongue carried at each opposite end edge of each partition which extends outwardly from said end e'dge into each opening to bring the opposite end edges of each partition into contact with the confronting faces of said side walls, a substantially U-shaped keeper positioned adjacent the opposite faces of each side wall adjacent each end of each partition, removable fastening means carried by each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the side wall adjacent each opening between the U-shaped arms of each keeper and each end edge of each partition.

5. A receptacle having opposite side walls and opposite end walls, each of said side walls being of hollow construction and comprising spaced inner and outer panels, the inner panel of each side wall being provided with an elongated opening which confronts the similar opening in the opposite side wall, a plurality of partitions for said receptacle, each partition having opposite end edges, means for removably securing said partitions in predetermined spaced relationship to each other and to said opposite side walls, said means comprising ,a tongue carriedat each opposite end edge of each partition which extends outwardly from said end edge and into each opening in said inner panel to bring the opposite end edges of each partition into contact with the confronting faces of the inner panels, a substantially U-shaped keeper positioned adjacent the opposite faces of each inner panel adjacent each end of each partition, removable fastening means carried by each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the inner panel adjacent each opening between the U-shaped arms of each keeper and each end edge of each partition.

6. A device for partitioning the space between opposite supporting walls, comprising a pair of laterally spaced supporting walls, each of said walls being of double thickness and comprising an inner panel and an outer panel, each of said opposite walls having their respective inner panels provided with an opening which confronts the opening in the opposite respective panel, a channel member positioned between each inner and outer panel of each wall, the open portion of each channel facing the opening in a respective inner panel, a partition having opposite end edges, said partition extending between said opposite walls, a tongue carried at each opposite end edge of said partition which extends outwardly from said end edge into each opening in said opposite panels to bring the opposite end edges into contact with the confronting faces of the opposite inner panels, a keeper positioned adjacent the inner face of each inner panel and adjacent the opening in said inner panel, removable fastening means carried by each tongue and engageable with each keeper to clamp the inner panel adjacent the opening therein between the keeper and each end edge of the partition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,037,912 Howard Sept. 10, 1912 1,064,382 Sampson June 10, 1913 1,666,172 Gollnick Apr. 17, 1928 1,747,496 Vanderveld Feb. 18, 1930 

